This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/141,644, filed on May 6, 2002, now abandoned which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/968,566, filed on Sep. 29, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,675,987 which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/870,227, filed on May 30, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,340,098, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/568,926, filed on May 11, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,975, which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/224,607, filed on Dec. 31, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,843, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/222,003, filed on Dec. 30, 1998, now abandoned. This application incorporates by reference each application and each patent listed above.
The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for mixing and/or delivering of liquid chemical(s), and more particularly, to systems and methods for mixing and delivering liquid chemicals in precise amounts using logic devices and multi-reservoir load cell assemblies.
The present invention has many applications, but may be explained by considering the problem of how to deliver photoresist to silicon wafers for exposure of the photoresist in the process of photolithography. To form the precise images required, the photoresist must be delivered in precise amounts on demand, be free of bubbles, and be of precise uniform thickness on the usable part of the wafer. The conventional systems have problems as discussed below.
As shown in FIG. 1, a representative conventional photoresist delivery system includes supply containers 100, 102, typically bottles, which supply photoresist to a single-reservoir 104 by line 117, which is connected to supply lines 106, 108 monitored by bubble sensors 110,112 and controlled by valves V1 and V2. The bottom of the reservoir is connected to a photoresist output line 114 to a track tool (not shown), which dispenses photoresist on the wafer. The space above the photoresist in the reservoir 104 is connected to a gas line 118 which, based on position of a three-way valve V3, either supplies nitrogen gas to the reservoir 104 from a nitrogen manifold line 126, regulated by needle valve 1, or produces a vacuum in the reservoir 104. To sense the level of the photoresist in the reservoir 104, the system employs an array of capacitive sensors 122 arranged vertically on the walls of the reservoir 104. A two-way valve V4, located between the nitrogen gas manifold and the inlet of a vacuum ejector 124, supplies or cuts off flow of nitrogen to the vacuum ejector 124.
The photoresist delivery system must be “on-line” at all times so the track tool can dispense the photoresist as required. Many of the photoresist delivery systems attempt to use the reservoir to provide an on-line supply of photoresist to the track tool, but the photoresist delivery system must still refill the reservoir on a regular basis, which is dependent on timely replacement of empty supply containers. Otherwise, the track tool will still fail to deliver the photoresist when demanded.
During dispense mode, when the track tool withdraws photoresist from the reservoir 104, the valve V3 permits the nitrogen to flow from the nitrogen manifold to the reservoir 104 to produce a nitrogen blanket over the photoresist to reduce contamination and to prevent a vacuum from forming as the photoresist level drops in the reservoir. Once the photoresist in the reservoir 104 reaches a sufficiently low level the system controller (not shown) initiates refill mode, where a set of problems arise.
During refill mode, the valve V4 is activated so that nitrogen flows from the manifold line 126 to the vacuum ejector 124, which produces a low pressure line 170 thereby producing a low pressure space above the photoresist in the reservoir 104. The bubble sensors 110,112 monitor for bubbles in the supply lines 106,108, presumed to develop when the supply containers 100, 102, become empty. If, for example, the bubble sensor 110 detects a bubble, the controller turns off the valve V1 to supply container 100 and the valve V2 opens to supply container 102 to continue refilling the reservoir 104. However, bubbles in the supply line 106 may not mean supply container 100 is empty. Thus, not all of the photoresist in supply container 100 may be used before the system switches to the supply container 102 for photoresist. Thus, although the conventional system is intended to allow multiple supply containers to replenish the reservoir when needed, the system may indicate that a supply container is empty and needs to be replaced before necessary.
If the supply container 100 becomes empty and the operator fails to replace it and the system continues to operate until the supply container 102 also becomes empty, the reservoir 104 will reach a critical low level condition. If this continues, bubbles may be arise due to photoresist's high susceptibility to bubbles; if a bubble, however minute, enters the photoresist delivered to the wafer, an imperfect image may be formed in the photolithography process.
Further, if the pump of the track tool, connected downstream of the chemical output line 114, turns on when the reservoir is refilling, the pump will experience negative pressure from the vacuum in the single-reservoir pulling against the pump. Several things can happen if this persists: the lack of photoresist delivered to the track tool may send a false signal that the supply containers are empty, the pump can fail to deliver photoresist to its own internal chambers, lose its prime and ability to adequately dispense photoresist, and the pump can even overheat and burn out. The result of each scenario will be the track tool receives insufficient or even no photoresist, known as a “missed shot,” which impacts the yield of the track tool.
The present invention also may be explained by considering the problems associated with mixing and delivering slurry for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). In semiconductor manufacturing, a slurry distribution system (SDS) delivers CMP slurry to the polisher. For example, Handbook of Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology (2000), which is incorporated by reference, describes delivery of CMP slurries to a polisher and shows an arrangement for a SDS at page 431. In some applications, the SDS needs to mix the components of the slurry in a mix tank. During mixing and handling of the slurry, the SDS must not damage the slurry by subjecting it to too much shear, which may cause aggregation, or too little shear, which may cause settling. A pump may transfer the slurry to a distribution tank when required by the process tool. The SDS should handle a variety of chemistries because a CMP slurry formulation is often tailored to each process. The SDS should introduce precise of amounts of the slurry components into a mix tank so that the slurry mixture is known. At times, there also needs to be a precise flow rate to the process tool and/or delivery at low flow rates. At low flow rates sometime microbubbles form in the dispense lines, which prevents slurry delivery. It would be desirable to clear lines without shut down of the SDS. Of course, reliability for flawlessly daily manufacturing and delivery of the slurry is also desired, as well as ease of regular maintenance to avoid varying slurry composition that may affect process results.
Flow meters are commonly used to control the flow rates of chemicals. Flow meters are usually only accurate to within 2–3% of the desired flow rate, and are also susceptible to changes due to input pressure. Second, some chemicals will cause the flow meter to plug up and allow no flow, i.e. slurries. Another method for controlling flow is to use a “push” gas to pressurize a reservoir, and then adjust the push gas pressure to adjust the flow rate. This method also will not allow accurate flow rates, due to the potential of the push gas pressure changing, and the flow rate varying as the level within the reservoir changes.
The present invention addresses these problems as well as avoids waste of chemicals, provides a friendly user interface depicting the amount of chemicals remaining in the supply containers, and reduces system capital and operating costs. If, for example, the amount of chemical in the supply containers cannot be seen, the present invention permits the interface to be provided at a distance by conventional computer network capabilities and the electronics provided.